The Reaper's Willow
by SposaFantasma
Summary: The son of the grim reaper finds a young artist and weapon hitchhiking in the middle of Mexico. So, he gives her a ride to Death City, where she can learn at the DWMA. But this could possibly be the worst decision he has ever made. Or could it be the best? You'll discover and decide in this epic drama! Disclaimer: I do not own The Soul Eater and I do not own the allusions made.
1. Chapter 1

It was a hot, humid, windless day in Hermosillo, Mexico. Even experiencing the windchill traveling on beelzebub and the setting sun couldn't stop the trickle of sweat that ran down Death the Kid's neck and the searing heat coming from the twin pistols in his hands. The streets he travels above were nearly abandoned. They were, after all, on the outskirts of town; it's not like there was going to be a lot of nightlife.

The trio of Kid and his two weapons were returning home from a mission in San Salvador. This Kishin egg was so frighteningly asymmetrical it left Kid in a grouchy mood for the whole of his trip.

"Hey Kid! Look look look!"

Kid was startled by Patty's sudden burst of energy surging in her soul wavelength. Kid could tell somehow that she was referring to the street. He looked down towards the barren dirt road and saw a thin dirty woman holding some sort of sign. He couldn't quite see the details, but he could only assume she had her hand perpendicular to her body and sticking one thumb out.

"Do you see her? Do you see?" Patty exclaimed.

"I think he sees her, Patty". This was muttered by her older sister Liz. The elder of the Thompson sisters was more level-headed and mature than her little sister. Most would see Patty as a helpless little baby, meant to be coddled and protected, when in actuality it is Liz who is the scaredy cat of the two. Patty is a lot tougher than she looks.

Kid urged beelzebub to lower towards the ground. As he did, the young green-haired hitch-hiker gazed up in amazement with her big brown eyes. Kid landed and noticed the details of the sign in front of him. It was beige cardboard, and on it was written, "Death City or BUST". Kid was wary. "I see you're heading to Death City"

The girl gave him a blank look and spoke in a confused voice. "No hablo íngles".

Kid assumed because the sign was in English, that she would 'hable íngles'. His face was calm and well composed, but he spoke in a sort of bashful yet irritated voice. " Perdon señorita. Nosotros-" it was at this moment the urchin started to laugh. She laughed a laugh that was as innocent as a jingling of bells, yet hardy. She spoke once more, but this time all seriousness aside.

"Ahaha! I'm just messing with you. I speak perfect English"

Kid exhaled with an audible 'phew!'. It was at this moment that Liz and Patty decided to change back to their human forms. Liz stretched, happy to be back to normal rather than have her soul confined to such a small place for so long. Patty stared at the girl in wonder, happy to see a new smiling face.

"Thank goodness!", Liz sighed, "We'll be able to understand you". The dirty girl however said nothing to greet the two girls. For only a moment, she just stared, but with how fast her mind was reeling, it felt like hours. Before the awkward silence could deafen them, she whispered "You two are weapons". Kid and Liz seemed confused by her reaction. Has she never seen a meister and his weapons before? Patty wasn't at all fazed.

"That's right!" She cheered. The stranger was quick to respond. She seemed to finally wear her excitement on her sleeve. Through a great big smile she said:

"That's amazing. I-I am a weapon too!". This piece of information caught Kid's attention. He squinted his eyes. Why was she, a weapon hitch-hiking in the middle of nowhere? Why is she not at the Academy? Scouts travelled the world looking for weapons and meisters to bring to to Nevada, so why wasn't this girl among them? He began to circle her, scrutinizingly. She sensed his suspicion and immediately stiffened, not daring to move a muscle.

"If you're a weapon, then you should be a student from the DWMA. But you can't be. I'm a student there myself, and I've never seen you before." Finished with his inspection, he stood in front of her with his arms crossed and the sisters on either side. The now deemed suspicious girl gulped, and said with as much confidence as she could muster, "That's where I'm heading", as she pointed to her sign. Kid wasn't convinced.

"What's your name?"

"Salix, what's your-"

"Where are you from?" At this Salix puffed out her chest. She had a feeling something like this would happen. Someone would ask a series of questions that she would have to answer. And each of Kid's inquiries was given a quick response.

"Durango"

"How did you get all the way out here?"

"Hitch-hiking"

"For how long?"

"Weeks"

"How did you get food and water?"

"People gave me money for it"

"Why would they give you money?"

"Because I'm homeless"

Kid said nothing after this response. The girl didn't hesitate to say this at all. She wasn't ashamed of her predicament, then again she wasn't proud either. She wasn't angry or upset for speaking of her living conditions, or lack of, she was just honest. After a moment waiting, Kid asked his final questions.

"What is your weapon form?"

"A shashka"

"That's a Russian sword, right? Why do you, a Mexican girl, transform into a Russian weapon?"

"I'm Russian on my mother's side". Just like all other questions, she answered immediately and unwaveringly. But that didn't hide the sadness clouding over her face from Kid.

"Demonstrate." He said.

Salix's eyes widened and then quickly narrowed. They thought she was lying? Well, it is time for them to be proven wrong. She squatted enough to looking like she was sitting in a chair, and then leapt up and into the sky. The shashka she transformed into, danced and turned gracefully in the air, then it landed with its blade stuck into the sand hardly two inches from Kid's toes, causing him to let out a yelp. Triumphant, Salix turned back to her normal self, twirled back to her original stance, and waited for their response.

Liz poked her meister's shoulder blade. "You know Kid, we are going back to the Academy".

Patty joined in. "Yeah Kid, we could totally bring her along"

Kid snapped back to reality. "OH no no no no no no no no NO! Liz! Patty! We do NOT pick up hitch-hikers!"

Several hours later the four were waiting on a train traveling from the border of Mexico to Death City. On their ride towards the border (which was extremely awkward because Salix had to hold onto Kid throughout their ride on Beelzebub), they discovered a few things about their travel buddy. 1. She was orphaned at a young age. 2. She ran away from the orphanage at 12. 3. She's lived off of garbage and the good will of others before she left for Death City two months ago. 4. She plans to live in an apartment as soon as she has enough money and a steady job. And 5. She is 17 and super grateful to be so close to fulfilling her dream of joining the DWMA. Meanwhile she discovered that Kid was 18, Patty was 17, and Liz was 20. Although they were already of graduating age, they still attend their school. Kid had twice as many weapons as the average meister and must collect twice as many souls, so the deadline was pushed back by a couple years.

They rode in the observation car; Patty sitting next to Salix while Liz and Kid sat across from them. Kid was hunched over, his elbows on the table supporting his weight and his hands were supporting the wait of his head. He glared at the green-haired girl, dressed in her dirty rags, sporting her bobbed hair and-. . .wait a moment. She was wearing a silver locket around her neck. Kid wondered at this.

"Ahahaha hahaha!", came Patty's little duckling laugh. "Salix! What should I draw?". Kid's thoughts have been interrupted. Patty had taken an immediate liking towards Salix and Salix tolerated her surprisingly well. In fact, she seemed to revel in her company.

"Um, well I usually like to draw plants or animals, but in the end it's up to you."

Patty put a dainty finger to her chin and hummed in thought. A second later, she exclaimed "Maybe I'll draw a little red crab!"

"Oh, but all crabs are small and red. Maybe you could change yours to make it special."

"Yeah! That sounds more fun! Maybe I'll make it blue, or green! What do you think?"

"It depends on the shade, like, would you want a dark green like on a tree, a blue green like the ocean, or a yellowish green like my hair?"

"I like your hair. I've never seen hair that color before! OOH OOH! Maybe we could make it a hairy crab!"

They talked on and on about how they could make their drawing more creative. It disgusted Kid how the crab in their picture would be going against nature, and he voiced as such. He called them simple and random. They called themselves imaginative.

"You should be praising Patty!", argued Salix. "How do you think Francis Picabia has gotten to be such a great artist? By being original and straying from the status-quo!"

Kid looked like he was going to be sick. "I really hope Patty becomes nothing like that."

Salix straightened her posture so she was taller than Kid. Of course, he wasn't fazed by this; he simply continued to watch her dully.

"What was that?" said Salix, "Do you have something against Picabia, Kid?"

"His art, if one could even call it art, is eerie and very off-putting"

"That's the point! Picabia shows the darker side of people. Not everything is about beauty you know"

"While I see your point, I still dislike him". At this comment, Salix wanted to stomp her foot like a spoiled brat, but she was sitting under a table. So instead, she leaned back and slowly exhaled. She then muttered "I suppose next you're going to say you despise Claude Monet".

Kid sat up. "Actually, I do appreciate his paintings. But I prefer abstract paintings like those done by Robert Delaunay."

Salix's eyes began to twinkle with excitement. "Really? He's one of my heroes! My favorite piece is his auto portrait". Has she finally found a fellow fanatic?

Kid leaned back in his seat, amused at finding someone who appreciates good art, if you can excuse her liking of Picabia of course. "I find it a bit narcissistic to paint one's self. I suppose the contrasting colors are what caught your attention. I however love Le Premier Disque."

"Really? That's a bit of a plain piece, although I guess I can appreciate all the colors of that one, but I bet that's not what you want to hear. If anything else, I'd say what is most admirable is how if one were posterize just where the colors met to create a solid black and white picture, then there would be 4-way symmetry."

Now it was the eyes of Kid's turn to sparkle with joy. He leaned forward, jaw dropped. He whispered flabbergasted, right into his apparent new best friend's face, "Y-you. . .you appreciate the glory of symmetry?". Has he finally found a fellow fanatic?

Now it was Salix who was flabbergasted, however instead of in awe it was in confusion. "Um, I suppose. I usually like art that is messy, then again, an elaborate artwork with 4-way, or even 8-way symmetry, would be pretty incredible".

It was at this moment that Kid looked down, bangs covering his eyes and tears running down to his chin. This caught the attention of the three girls, and Liz was the first to comment. "Woah Kid! Are you alright?" The shadow casting over Kid's face vanished. He looked up revealing his rosy cheeks and moist eyes. "Finally" he whispered. But his next speech was a loud rejoice. He brought his arms up in celebration. "SOMEBODY FINALLY UNDERSTANDS THE PERFECTION OF SYMMETRY!"

He brought his knees to his chest and then stood on his seat, intending to give a joyous "WOOHOO", but was stopped mid-phrase when he accidentally hit the top of his head against the ceiling. He kneeled down, clutching his head while Salix looked on in confusion. She looked towards the Thompson sisters, who didn't seem phased at all. "Could it be. . ? Is he usually this. . .enthusiastic?"

Patty's bubbly voice answered, "When it comes to symmetry. He's ssoooo OCD!"

Liz's cooly remarked, "You sound like an art major when you talk. How did you learn so much?"

"Oh I wish I was an art major! But for obvious reasons I never attended college. I usually find books when I go dumpster-diving. You wouldn't believe what some people throw out!"

Kid was calmed and back to his spot on the cushion, peaked with interest. "I don't suppose The Book Thief was among the books you've read?"

"No, it was. I guess you could say I'm a regular Leisel." Kid laughed at the literary reference while Liz looked at them in confusion. Patty didn't get it either, but she giggled nonetheless.

"That's not the only books I've read", said Salix, " People normally throw away old classic stories, so I've read Les Miserables, The Strange Case of Jekyll and Hyde, The Phantom of the Opera. . . Both Gaston Leroux's and Susan Kay's."

"I've heard the story of The Phantom of the Opera is a bit different in the musical" Liz mentioned.

"Oh yeah. I think the biggest difference is that the deformity is on half his face and not all of it like in the book." Salix agreed.

"I sympathize with him. . .", sighed Kid.


	2. Chapter 2

The gang took a detour to Kid's home, but couldn't help but cross paths with the DWMA first. As they wandered the streets and came into view of the academy, Salix suddenly stopped in her tracks. The building towered above them by several stories, and it's candles flickered and swayed, casting light to be led by the adolescent warriors attending. The academy-bound girl gazed up at the splendorous gothic building, and excitement flooded her veins.

"Wow! Look at this place! It's more extravagant then I imagined!". Salix rushed up the steps. Once she reached the top, she gave a twirl, taking it all in. She stopped and clasped her hands together in front of her chin. "I absolutely adore the architecture. It's beautiful. I can't wait for my first day at school." She turns to the group. "Where do I go to get registered?".

Liz and Party gave each other a confused look before the elder sighed. "Hold your horses girl. You can't go get registered looking like that". Kid took a step forward and gave an agreement. "She's right. No offense, but you look filthy". Kid truly hoped he didn't offend Salix, but she gave a look that said _Haha, yeah I know_ and scratched her scalp. Kid, now confident, continued his assessment. "You have dirt peppered all over you. You even have a smudge on your cheek, or perhaps that is a bruise. You're dressed in a shirt that is obviously too big for you and your bottoms are raggedy. Not to mention that you aren't wearing any shoes." He pointed out each and every flaw to her.

Salix gave a forced smile and raised one eyebrow. "You don't hold back, do ya?". Kid ignored this remark and continued on. "Although, there is one thing I have been meaning to ask you." He took a few steps closer to Salix and he leaned over, his face mere inches away from hers. He gazed down towards her woah woah WOAH. What's this guy doing!? Salix face went crimson red. "Excuse you! What are you looking at?!". Kid, unfazed, replied, "I'm studying your necklace".

Salix instantly put a hand to her clavicle, shielding her necklace from his gaze and suddenly _very_ defensive. "It was my mother's. Why are you so interested in it?". She turned her body away to the side as if she feared one of them would snatch it. Kid was baffled at her sudden coldness. He could tell that this item was very important to her. He couldn't know the pain of losing your mother. _He grew up without one_. He reassured her, "I'm not going to take it. I was just wondering what a homeless person was doing with fine jewelry." Salix frowned.

"I'm sorry. It does seem suspicious huh?"

"Do not worry. I'm sorry if I brought back any bad memories of your family"

"Don't worry about it. . ." Salix looked down at the pavement, both in shame and grief. Kid looked at her. He wished to change the subject so his new friend may not look so gloomy.

"How about this? Liz and Patty will take you to my home to get you freshened up while I get you registered. Then later you can meet my father."

"Will he be alright with all of this? I'm still a stranger after all."

Kid suddenly looked a little worried. "We'll find out. . . You two go ahead. I'll catch up with you."

Liz, Patty, and Salix departed. It was an awkward walk to say the least. Patty made airplane noises as they walked around, but that is not what bothered Salix. It was that there was next to no conversation between her and Liz. There was something about Salix and Liz that just didn't click. Her childish imagination and creativity sparked an interest in Patty, and her appreciation for art and philosophy matched well with Kid's longing for balance and perfection. But with the girly big sister. . .nothing.

They arrived to Gallows Manor. Salix was even more amazed by the mansion than she was with the school, not because it was a painstakingly beautiful piece of architecture (well, it was, but not as much as the school in her opinion), but because she arrived with the knowledge that somebody _lives_ there. Standing outside the door, she craned her head back, eyes wide, and counted the stories by the windows. 1. . .2. . . 3? Was that a third, or was that an attic? Well, whether it has one story or ten, this place was still at least 10,000 square feet, and therefore ginormous. It was a construction of white marble and alabaster brick. And it was breathtaking.

"Wow", Salix gasped, "What ever Kid's dad does, it sure does a lot more than just pay the bills"

Liz was taken aback. "Woah, wait. Did we forget to tell you who Kid's father is?"

Patty came from behind her big sis and put her hands on her shoulder as leverage to jump. Patty chirped, "Kid's talking to him now at the DWMA".

"Is he a teacher or something?"

"Not exactly". Liz sighed. Patty perkily clarified, "He's the headmaster!"

The world stopped. Salix did not seem to comprehend what they were saying at first. She made a move to correct them. "No, Lord Death is the-" and then it hit her. Wait. . . No! It can't be! Could it?

"Are you telling me that Kid is Lord Death's son!?".

Patty cheered, "Yep-o-roony!" Salix was dumbstruck. "Wow. To think that I met a reaper and didn't even know it. He wasn't what I expected. . .at all"

Liz laughed under her breath. "He wasn't what we expected either when we met him. But you get used to him after a while."

"I know! I expected him to be some spoiled rich brat, I mean, that's what everyone has told me. But he's actually so intelligent and funny! He appreciates art _and_ philosophy. What are the odds, right?". It was a long train ride. Her and Kid had plenty of time to talk.

Patty started to laugh uncontrollably. Over the giggles, Liz thought. Intelligent? Funny? Fun to laugh at, not laugh with. Kid _is_ a spoiled brat. Liz has said so herself at some point. But how can this girl not see it? "I think you are gravely mistaken", Liz grumbled.

It has been years since Salix has seen a real bathroom. True, she has been in public restrooms and bathed occasionally in library showers, but she can't remember when she last had a resident's lavatory to herself. The sisters had assured her that she could take as long as she needed to to make herself presentable. Liz had left a razor for her to shave her legs and under her arms and also an outfit to change into.

Once Salix was alone, she stripped herself of her clothes and took a moment to stare in the mirror. She stared at the dirty film covering her all too lean form and the light bruise grazing her cheek. She remembered how she would claw though the garbage, looking for scraps to call dinner. She remembered those few days when people would give her enough money to buy some real food, just to have it stolen or eaten too fast she would vomit. She remembered how she got here. She would take rides from complete strangers, sneak into cargo trucks, and participate in street fights to earn money for a train ticket. She has struggled, been outcasted, been beaten, been famished, but she smiled through it all. Then she luckily met the reaper and his weapons. Now, she hopes that when she smiles, it will be from pure joy and not from a feeble attempt to seem strong.

Salix felt pampered in the warm water drizzling down from the shower head. She washed the luxurious shampoo through her short hair twice. Then she conditioned her hair, not once, not twice, but three times. Not until her hair was free of all filth and shined. She bathed and scrubbed her skin until it glowed red from the abuse. It wasn't until she shaved and clipped her nails that she finally started to feel less like an animal struggling for survival and more like a woman being introduced to the world for the first time.

She dressed, emerged from the bathroom and walked down the white-lit hall. She felt the carpet's red hairs slip between her toes as she walked towards the spiral staircase that lead her down to the foyer. The house had a bright minimalist interior with touches of crimson in appropriate places; not something you'd expect from the house of Lord Death, but still very pleasing to the eye. She walked towards the dining room which was towards her left and through the double doors.

That is were Kid and Liz resided. Kid sat in his chair with perfect posture and squared shoulders,looking at his laptop. Meanwhile Liz stood, towering over the table looking at a newspaper. The two took turns looking for part time jobs and cheap apartments for rent.

Kid kept muttering to himself, "That's too expensive. . .that doesn't pay enough. . .I can't see her flipping burgers. . ." Etc. Patty was about to walk into the room herself when she nearly bumped into Salix standing hesitantly at the doors. Patty was quick to question her action (or lack thereof).

"Hey! Why aren't you going inside?". Not only Salix, but those who have been separated by the concrete walls froze at Patty's voluble voice breaking the tranquil silence. Salix suddenly became aware of the attention of the people in the other room and blushed furiously. She turned to Patty.

"Sh Sh Sh! Patty!", she whispered, "They are probably busy. We don't want to disturb-". The door opened. Salix paled. Kid looked out, unamused. Well. . .this is awkward.

Salix turned to the doorway, looking ashamed. She wasn't eavesdropping or anything of the sort, she was just shy about showing them how she looked. Did she look silly? Did she look ugly? She certainly didn't look like herself anymore. Little did she know that under the rags and filth, she was truly astonishing. And boy, were Kid and Liz astonished. Liz straightened at her spot by the table and Kid gave a small smile.

"You clean up well", he spoke.

Patty squealed, "I know right? She's so pretty!". Her sister was quick to follow with a "Yeah, you look great". Salix blushed deeply and rung her hands, not knowing how to respond. Kid continued to praise her.

"Yes, yes. Absolutely-". Uh oh. Kid's glance at her sock covered feet became an odd stare. His own face started to grow red, but not the pleasant rosiness that filled Salix's cheeks, but that of fury and irritation. He pointed at her toes, and in a passive-aggressive voice he asked, "What. . .are. . . _those_?". It was at that moment Patty started giggling uncontrollably for some unknown reason. Liz sweatdropped. Salix was about to respond with an innocent, "They're socks Kid", but was cut off by an "Of course they're socks Salix! What I meant was what _aren't_ those!". She parted her lips in confusion.

"Well they aren't a lot of things-"

" _Shoes_! You aren't wearing _shoes_!" Kid was stomping his foot.

"The ones Liz gave me were too small-"

"And you still have that bruise on your cheek! Didn't you think to cover it up?" he stomped his foot harder.

"I don't have any-"

"And what about that-!"

"SHUT UP". The sheer force and volume of her words knocked Kid down to the ground. Salix just couldn't take the criticism anymore. "I know I'm asymmetrical! I know I'm imperfect, but it doesn't matter!"

"It does matter! Perfection and symmetry is everything!" He shouted. The two shouted over each other while the sisters stood helplessly by. Patty has finished laughing, and was currently drying her tears while Liz stared blankly at Kid and Salix's comical performance. It went on for about five straight minutes, which doesn't sound like a lot but when one is actually supposed to sit through five minutes of yelling, debating, and sarcasm, one becomes exasperated. Or amused if you're Patty.

Salix audibly added, "You were just complimenting me a second ago, how did it turn into this?"

Kid leaned forward, hands on his hips. "A certain lady, who claims to appreciate perfection, hasn't even bothered to achieve it herself. How can you claim to adore symmetry when you yourself aren't symmetrical?".

Salix paused, and put her hands to her face. Her shoulders started to shake and small gasps and whimpers threatened to escape from her mouth. The spectators looked on in disgust.

"Now you've done it Kid!", Liz called. Patty echoed her. "Yeah now you've done it!". Kid looked at the girl in front of him, ashamed of his actions. This what OCD leads to. It leads to fits and fusses and yelling, but it has never led to somebody crying (other than Kid himself). He reached his hand out to put his hand on her shoulder, but she lightly swatted it away with her left hand, revealing half of her face.

She wasn't crying.

She looked at him with a triumphant smile. Why on earth was she smiling? Wasn't she just crying a moment ago? "You seriously thought _I_ would cry over what someone thought about me?", she questioned heartily. YES. YES HE DID. "But it could seriously offend someone else. Your lack of courtesy could lead to emotional spills and arguments. Of course, I'm not one for either of those, so I simply demonstrated what could have happened".

And queue the blinding silence.

.

.

.

Even the narrator doesn't have much to say to this. Also the narrator refers to herself in third person. She wasn't crying. She was smiling. She was laughing. What the duck?! Kid felt the same as the narrator.

"Are you kidding!? You were only pretending to cry?", Kid screeched.

Liz monotonously added, "She also mentioned not being one to fight, so does that mean she was faking that too?"

"Yeah! Were you faking that too?", Patty chimed.

Salix gave a knowing smirk and chuckle. Kid used both his hands to scratch his head and ruffle his hair in irritation. He fumed and yelled out some unintelligible nonsense in his attempt to vent his frustration. Salix just laughed. She laughed at the absurdity of it all. How could Kid accuse her of such things when he wasn't symmetrical either? She was wise, however, to take the topic of the three stripes in his hair lightly.

"Listen. Kid, hun, it's okay to like perfection and symmetry. It's a beautiful thing. You can be obsessed with it, but you can't be obsessed of its absence".

"You don't understand. . ."

Her voice softened. "Yes. I do". Kid glared back at her, stubborn with his decision that this girl was foolish to think she could discern him. Salix didn't notice, however. She looked up at the ceiling, as if searching for answers up towards the light.

"When I was younger", she reminisced, "I hated this world. I would think to myself, 'Gee, when I'm older, I'm going to fix this place. There will be no more crime or sadness. Just wait and see'. But I had to accept the fact that good couldn't exist without bad. The world couldn't be flawless. It just didn't work that way. So since then, I didn't strive to create perfection, but balance and justness". She looked back at Kid. "You're like the world in a way. You strive towards perfection, but the universe needs a way to make you balanced, so it makes your obsession your downfall. If you really want to be perfect, let yourself have flaws."

Kid squinted his eyes. "Oh so this is about me now?". Salix nodded.

Kid sighed. "But. . .who would want such garbage as myself?" He was no longer furious, but distraught. Liz was very impressed with Kid's behavior. It wasn't like him to act this calm while discussing his infatuation. And yes, when it concerns Kid, this is indeed calm. He has been stubborn throughout most of the conversation (a very interesting one at that), but at that very moment he was miraculously willing to listen to the opinion of another person.

"Well, it's obvious that Liz and Patty want and appreciate you". Speak of the devil. She says this, but her eyes keep shifting from Kid to something in the dining room. She was sincere in what she said, do not be mistaken. She was merely interested in what she found on the easel. Kid took notice.

"What are you looking at?", he asked as he glanced behind him.

"I'm sorry", she said flustered. "I got distracted by that graphite drawing". She looked at a picture of Liz, guidelines for the face still there and extra detail applied to the eyebrows. "I'm pretty sure I have ADD" she added.

"I have ADHD!" Patty cheered. Neither were paying attention to her though. Kid gestured towards that drawing and said, "That's just a blueprint I drew".

Saxil didn't see how a picture of a face qualified as a blueprint, but that didn't distract her from her amazement.

"You drew that?". She just assumed they hired someone to do portraits and had to leave before it was finished. Kid just saw the floor, looking back on his previous conversation and still unhappy.

"You've gotta be kidding me", Salix screeched. "If I didn't know better, I'd say Da Vinci drew this!". That was an exaggeration of course, but she truly did believe that his drawing was realistic. It seemed alive to her. When Kid drew Liz three years ago, he exaggerated and put the lines of Liz's face in the wrong places and made her eyes too wide horizontally. Kid's artistry has improved greatly and it shows. It felt as if Liz would emerge from the picture and take its model's place.

"This is what I mean! Before I thought you were only smart and funny, and you can get Liz to back me up, but now I see you're also talented". Kid blushed and rubbed behind his head, not used the rush of compliments Salix gave out freely.

Patty decided to join in on the encouraging conversation. "You should see him in a fight Salix! It's epic!".

Liz followed suit. "Not to mention he saved Patty and I from the streets"

"See?". Kid's low self-esteem was beyond Salix's comprehension. "Humorous, intelligent, gifted, artistic, generous. . .I know all this and I met you today. I can only imagine how much of a great person you'll seem to me after a year. You seem like a really well-rounded person. And I'm sure you have flaws, but you have so many good qualities to make up for that. You'd be perfectly balanced if you would stop beating yourself up. Why would you try to improve what's already pretty incredible?"

Kid looked down.

His face was covered in the shadows casted by his bangs.

He lifted his hand. . .

. . .and put in on Salix's shoulder.

". . .Thank you"

Salix smiled. "How about this?", she hummed. "You'll teach me how to draw like that", she pointed at the drawing, "and I'll try to teach you to keep things in balance. Deal?"

". . .Deal"


	3. Chapter 3

Salix waited at the bottom of the spiral staircase with Liz and Patty. She was about to embark on the greatest endeavor of her life. It made her legs feeble and tremble. It made her heart beat hard against the rib cage and pump blood at an accelerated rate. It made her break out in a cold sweat. It was the first day of school.

Lord Death had approved her entrance into the academy, and wished to meet her before she went to class. She was also informed that she would be more than welcome to stay at the manor until she earned enough money for a sufficient apartment. One would think that with her new job, it wouldn't be a problem, but she worked in a library and it didn't pay considerably. It was better than no job at all, but she would have to find a second if she were to pay the bills. Perhaps she could find a roommate. That would certainly make things easier.

Liz was admiring her work in dressing Salix, and Patty was gawking (an entire wardrobe was bought for her, courtesy of Lord Death). The green-haired girl wore a ruffled white button-down shirt, orange pants, and sandals; a bright chic attire.

Kid descended down the stairs. Salix remembered her obligation to help Kid outgrow his fixation. It was last Thursday that she made this promise, and so far has been too timid to act on it. After all, who was she to prance into somebody's life and order them around? Today, however, she was determined to make a difference.

Salix folded her hands behind her back and faked a casual air. "Good morning Kid, you look dashing as usual", she said nonchalantly. Kid put his hands on hips as his lips turned up in a smug smile on his glowing face. Before he could counter, Salix continued. "But you know what would be even more appealing?" Kid frowned and raised one eyebrow. Salix raised Kid's hands for all to clearly see the silver ring on each of his middle fingers. Salix elaborated, "If you wore a ring on your right hand but not your left".

Kid paled as white as a sheet and hung his mouth open, frightened at the mere idea. Patty _ooooh-_ ed as if she discovered a great scandal. Liz was shocked. "I can't believe you actually asked him do that". Salix shrugged. "It's a simple exercise".

Before Kid could react, Salix took his left ring and slipped it on her own hand. Kid gave an audible _augh!_ of pain, as if his entire arm was being ripped off and not just his jewelry. His face turned blue and he gasped for air as he reached for his prize, which Salix held far behind her. She kept him at bay by slamming her palm into his forehead. His arms danced around wildly, snatching and grasping nothing but air, until he eventually gave up. Salix smirked, amused at the poor boy crumpled into a heap on the ground.

"Now, you shall not wear this ring for the rest of the day!", Salix proclaimed joyously. Kid shrieked. Liz approached Salix, and raised the back of her hand to the side of her face, shielding her mouth from Kid.

"Um, I think that's asking a bit much of him", she whispered. Salix sighed.

"Fine. Okay. Kid!". Kid was on his hands and knees, and looked as if he was about to be sick before Salix caught his attention. "I'm going easy on you today. You only have to go with one ring. . .for the walk to school."

Kid snapped up from his position on the ground and clenched his fists. There was a fire in his eyes that wanted to come out and consume her. From his overstrung mouth, he cried "Are you serious!? I'll never make it that far. What are you trying to do, kill me?". His words ran so fast, they all seemed to merge into the same sentence. Each syllable was like a dagger, infused with the poison of anger and anxiety. He shook and became flustered, his eyes darting around and looking for a distraction from the wretched feeling in the pit of his stomach. He sank back down to his knees and set his hands in a prayer's position.

"I beg of you", Kid groveled. "Give it back. . .please?"

Salix looked deep into his pained eyes. She kneeled down to his level, and in a soft apathetic tone she whispered with a completely straight face, "No." Kid could not do much other than stare through unperceivable eyes. She stood back up again and cheered, "Aaaaaaaaaall right! If you want this ring then we better get going! Onwards!"

The walk was an interesting one. Salix wouldn't admit it, but she purposely walked at a slightly accelerated pace to get to the academy sooner. Liz and Patty seemed to catch on and follow suit, but despite this, the walk for Kid seemed to drag on for hours. He dragged his feet, he hung his head, he hunched his back, and repeated the same song over and over.

"Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

And repeatedly, either Liz or Salix would yell "NO!" while Patty chuckled behind them.

Salix finally started walking up those familiar stairs she had trodden several days before (meanwhile Kid was shakily crawling up them). The weight of her circumstance began to sink in. The contents of her stomach turned into a heavy pool of black goo. She has both dreaded and longed for this day. It felt as if the world stopped turning, like she was frozen in time and the building was a monster ready to swallow her whole. All she has dreamed, all she has studied for, all she has dropped, was for this. Would she fail? Would it not be what she though it would be? But what if it was?

"Hey, we're here", Liz stated.

Both Salix's and Kid's heads popped up, stealing Salix from her reverie and Kid from his depressed state. All of a sudden, Salix's perky facade was back. She turned around.

"Liz? Patty? What do you think of Kid's performance today?"

Liz said, glancing at Kid, "Well, he made it the entire way. For Kid, that's pretty impressive".

"And he didn't puke once!", Patty chirped.

"Well then", Salix said unimpressed, "looks like he has earned his ring back after all."

Kid hurriedly hopped up onto his feet and stared expectantly at Salix. Salix removed the skull ring from her finger, presented it to him with her thumb and forefinger, and proclaimed, "One ring to rule them-"

"I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOUR ALLUSIONS!" Kid hollered. He snatched the ring in a single swift motion. He carefully attached the ring to his finger, as if it were a delicate procedure. He closed his eyes in alleviation and gave an audible sigh. Kid urbanely straightened his posture and gave a brief superfluous cough.

As if he wasn't just in a demeaning manner, he said, "Well, Liz, Patty. Let's go. It wouldn't do to be late on Salix's first day".

Liz grumbled under her breath, "Oh of course. It's not like we weren't three hours late on _our_ first day."

Walking through the pearl and gold halls of the academy could easily be compared to climbing a mountain. For Salix, they were both terrifying experiences that made one's heart race and palms sweaty. She avoided eye contact with every student that passed her by. She had dreaded irrationally that a stochastic person would approached her and predicate, "I know who you are. I know where you come from, and you are not welcome here!". Then she would never be heard from again. But this fear was reasonless. . .right? Salix was a very agile and reflexive girl, but even she was thrown off-guard when a spiky blue-haired boy sped right in her path, blocking her plain of sight. He spoke in a thriving puerile voice, as if he were a puny brat in the form of a muscular man.

"Hi! I'm Black Star! I bet you didn't think you'd meet a celebrity on your first day of school, huh?". Salix gave him a blank stare as she barely croaked a "huh?".

"That's right! Well guess what, what was your name? Alex? Well guess what. Last time a new kid came to _my_ school, I kicked his ass because he believed he could take me in a fight!".

Kid stepped forward and spoke in passing. However, his eyes were narrowed in a nettled glower. "It's Salix, actually. And you didn't defeat me Black Star, it was I who defeated you. Perhaps it would have been a draw if you weren't stupid enough to fight with someone else's weapon."

"Hey!", exclaimed Black Star. "You were the one unconscious and bleeding in the end!"

Salix was a bit baffled by what she had just learned. Kid and Black Star fought? And Kid, the great son of Lord Death, lost? Or was Black Star lying to get attention? Who is this Black Star? Why would he fight with another's weapon? Is that even possible? But she asked the one question she had been itching, but also dreading to ask.

"So, how exactly does this all involve me?". Black Star snickered and pointed his finger directly in her face.

"I'm glad you asked newbie!". He then began to pace in front of her. "You see, I have a reputation to uphold. I'm ALWAYS the star of the show. I can't let someone steal my spotlight! But someone has! And that someone is you!" He once again pointed at Salix.

"Me? But I don't even want your spotlight!", and it's true, she didn't. She want to merge into the background and simply blend in with the crowd.

"Perfect! Because I have a plan to take it away and put it back on me!"

She shrugged. "Alright, go ahead."

"Okay. I CHALLENGE YOU TO A MATCH! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Salix stared bemused at Black Star. She didn't even bother to ponder on her decision before she said, "Excuse me!? I'm not fighting anyone! Hell, I've never even fought in my weapon form before." Kid appended monotonously.

"It seems that getting into a fight on her first day would just attract more attention to her."

"Exactly! Thank you!", cried Salix.

"What's the big deal? Are you scared? Is that it?", mocked Black Star.

Salix's blood began to boil. Growing up on the streets had given her sweet, soft self a protective stone exterior. Her fiery eyes were only matched with Black Star's, and as a result she didn't even notice the curious students silently crowding around her. She wasn't one to allow some guy to step all over her pride. So she remarked defensively, with no waver in her voice. Only authority.

"Oh please. I have nothing to be scared off. I'm just worried about how you're going to pay your hospital bills"

"That's pretty big talk. If you're so confident, then why not go to the courtyard and battle right now?"

"Fine!"

She had responded without even considering the consequences. She didn't even know if she could win, and yet she agreed to the madness of facing an opponent with so much more experience. She realized the herd of onlookers swarming around and suddenly felt a pang of fright. Oh boy. What has she gotten herself into?


	4. Chapter 4

Each of Salix's feet were firmly planted on the ground. Her eyes looked down towards the ground and her green bangs covered her eyes. Her opponent followed suit, across from her in the courtyard. There was a timid black-haired girl in a white dress behind him; his weapon no doubt. Every meister needed a weapon. But did this weapon need a meister? This has been questioned by the small throng of students who had made her acquaintance (and Black Star), however she retorted with an "I work alone." A woman with gray hair and a youthful face supervised. Salix broke out into a sweat. Perhaps it was the blazing sun ruling above them, or perhaps it was the candles made part of the DWMA's architecture. Or perhaps it was her fear.

She had wanted to fight when she arrived, but only evil Kishin eggs, not innocent young men (no matter how annoying they may be). She was partially afraid of fighting with something other than her bare hands, but she was more afraid of hurting someone. She was a _shashka_. She had a _blade_. If she fought too hard or wasn't careful, she could fatally wound Black Star. Oh boy. . .

"Go ahead. I'll give you the first blow", babbled the man. Salix lifted her head slowly, and stared straight into her foe's eyes. Steel ejected from her elbows and ran along over the length of her arm, curving outwards. Now was the moment of truth.

Black Star summoned his weapon. "Tsubaki!"

"Right!", his partner responded. The grey-haired woman, Kid, and his weapons watched in anticipation. Salix slid one foot back, readying herself to charge.

"You know, I have a trump card. It's called the 'Enchanted Sword', but I won't use it since this is your first fight." Black Star snickered.

"Very well", sighed Salix. She didn't like the idea of someone going easy on her. She then shouted, "Let's begin!".

Salix sprinted towards Black Star at a blinding speed. She raised both her arms in an attack form, both blades aiming out towards him. Black Star raised arms and crossed his chain scythe in an attempt to defend, but to his surprise there was no force to meet his weapon. Instead there was a feeling of a grasp on the legs of his pants. Salix lowered her body to the ground and slid between her opponent's legs. At the very last moment, she grabbed his ankles and stood up, causing him to fall on his face. He was quick to roll over onto his back and put his foot against Salix's stomach to prevent her real attack. When Salix jumped in the air to strike him, she had not counted on him using his foot to flip her onto the ground behind him.

But she had quick reflexes. She used her shashka-arms to break her fall and flip over again onto her feet. Black Star rolled onto all fours and exclaimed, "Ninja Blade!", and suddenly the scythe in his hands became a knife. She turned, and suddenly this battle became a hand to hand competition. Blade clashed against blade as one tried to outdo the other. The man swiped at her arms, torso, and feet, and yet she danced out of the way of each attack. However, all she could do was dodge. She couldn't get a single strike in! There was even a point where Salix could do nothing but stand in place and block. Sweat trickled down her forehead and her muscles began to burn. Her arms were glued to her chest as Black Star let out slash after slash against the blades.

She decided to do a risky move. She jumped in the air and extended her legs into Black Star's chest. Luckily, the force was grand enough to make him tumbled backwards. However, Salix ended up lying on her back. They both got up at around the same pace, only Black Star's revival was stiff compared to his adversary. Salix was as nimble as a cat and as graceful as a ballerina, but as deadly as a venomous serpent. She leapt up onto her feet, and the two started circling each other, unsure where to start.

Salix was stumped. She was certain she knew how to take down this man. She studied his demeanor and diagnosed him with being an overly-confident narcissist. He was sure that he could defeat anyone. But now that person was studying her the same way she had studied him. He looked at her as less of a game and more of an actual threat. Kid, on the sidelines, took a worried expression. He knew this trick, he knew what Black Star's next move is. He didn't like it one bit.

Suddenly the circling stopped and Black Star's plan was brought into action. Black Star turned a sickly shade of brown. No, his clothes turned brown too! He started falling apart like a statue of burning paper being blown away. And in his place was the girl named Tsubaki. With a serious, determined look on her face, she said, "We call this one the 'Shadow Star'".

This is the move done to defeat the samurai Mifune in their first encounter. Tsubaki would perform Shadow Star while Black Star sneaks up from behind and hits her with his soul's wavelength. It could easily bring down any one-star meister. . .

"BLACK STAR BIG WAVE!".

. . .but Salix was an exception. She was struck with a blue shockwave that sent jolt after jolt of electricity through her nervous system. She felt something in her stomach rip and resisted the urge to retch up blood. She remained firmly planted on her two feet, a bit hunched over and weak, but standing all the same. She shook as she focused on not falling.

"Incredible!", gasped the gray haired woman. "She's still standing even after directly experiencing Black Star's soul wavelength".

Black Star grunted. "You think because you can stand my shockwave, you can beat me", he muttered as Salix struggled. He then shouted, "but you're WRONG!"

Black Star roundhouse kicked Salix on the left cheek, parallel with her other bruised cheek. She flew through the air and landed on her side. Salix has been defeated.

"Yahoo!", Black Star whooped. "Looks like I, the great Black Star, has earned yet another victory!". He put one foot on top of his fallen foe and gave a big cheeky grin.

"Oh, would you get your foot off of me please?", Salix asked with resentment. She pushed his limb off of her and sat up, wiggling her tongue in her mouth. She spat out a molar, and the group of onlookers ran to her side.

"Are you alright?"

Salix looked up at the woman. "Yes Miss Albarn. I was bound to lose a tooth eventually, what with not always being able to afford toothpaste". Salix felt the cheek Black Star kicked, and asked the assistant teacher for a mirror. When she received one, she looked into it and fell into a burst of giggles. The bruise on her cheek was the same distance away from her nose and chin as the bruise on her other.

"Hey Kid!", she laughed, "now you can't complain about me being asymmetrical anymore!". Kid smiled.

"Oh my! Looks like you are having quite an eventful first day."

This new sugary sweet voice made Salix jump up onto her feet to face him.

"Lord Death sir!" Salix's timid voice shakily permeated over to his ears, even if just barely.

"Sir, I am so sorry. I meant to come see you, I guess I just got. . .sidetracked"

"Hey hey hey! Quite alright Salix. Fighting is quite a common thing here. There's no need to feel guilty about it. Now if you could please come with me to the Death Room we can have our talk!"

"Yes sir", Salix enthusiastically spoke.

Once in the entrance way of the death room, Salix gazed above at the red guillotines used as archways. She stepped into the room and stared at the blue skies and graves of souls. She wondered whose souls were deep beneath the soil.

"Let's begin!". Salix's eyes snapped back to Lord Death.

"Welcome to the Death Weapon Meister Academy Salix!"

Silence filled the room.

"Okay, that is all!" Lord Death cheered.

"Now wait a moment father, we need to teach her the ropes", Kid countered. He walked from his spot beside Salix to directly in front of her. "First, there are two classes here: the N.O.T. class and the E.A.T. class. The students of the E.A.T. class makes up 10% of the total students here. These students fight against the forces of evil."

"That's where I will be."

"That's correct. There are many rules to follow, such as not being allowed to take souls off of my father's list and not being allowed to fight without a teacher or assistant teacher present. But I'm sure you already knew the latter. The number one rule, above all else", Kid's eyes became serious and almost menacing. All traces of friendliness were gone. "You are never, under any circumstances, to consume a human soul. Is that understood?"

"Y-yes sir", Salix stuttered.

Kid nodded. "Now, this school has dormitories", Salix's eyebrows raised. "But they are all full at the moment. That's why you have an apartment. Also, every student receives a weekly allowance of $200".

"If I'll be receiving an allowance, then why did I need to get a job?", Salix said annoyed.

"The allowance is only enough to barely cover your monthly rent. You'll need the extra money to buy yourself food, toiletries, and hopefully, with a little saving, a computer or cell phone."

Salix nodded in understanding.

"Moving on from the subject of living expenses, if one were to collect 99 Kishin souls and a single witch's soul, the weapon would have reached the rank of death scythe, and it's partner would automatically become a three-star meister. Of course this isn't required for you to graduate. Think of it as graduating with honors. There are one-star, two-star, and three-star meisters. All students start out as one-star meisters, and must complete a sparring test with one of the teachers to earn the rank of a two-star meister. Once you graduate, you become a three-star. Weapons receive the same rank as their partner. As for finding a meister, we could put you on a waiting list"

"Oh, actually", Salix smiled, "I really do prefer to work alone".

Lord Death hopped forward between the two teens.

"Really? Are you sure?", he intervened. "You know, there is only one man in history strong enough to become a death scythe with no meister"

"Well, I'm not looking to become a death scythe, I feel like it's already pushing my luck to attend".

"Well, Salix, don't underestimate yourself. Reach for the stars, as they say."

Kid looked around his father and asked, "Who says that?".

Lord Death gave them a blank stare, and then said, "I don't know! Now off you go! Kid, why don't you give our new student a tour around the school, huh?"

"Alright. Let's go Salix."

Kid showed her around the school, as promised. First, they walked the perimeter, getting a taste for the school grounds and gardens. Then they ventured down the hallways and into the classrooms. They explored the library, guidance and administration office, mission bulletin board, track, dojo, shooting range, cafeteria, lockers, and eventually the dispensary. It was there Salix received a new tooth to replace her molar (and also a dental hygiene set, considering her teeth were horrible).

They then traveled to what would be Salix's soul studies class. There are 3 teachers in the E.A.T. department of the school, and if one were lucky, you would get Sid or Marie as your professor. But Salix wasn't lucky. She instead got the infamous Franken Stein, and that is who she found sitting at his desk. Class was over, yet there he sat, his stomach against the back of the chair, fiddling with some sort of device. Salix's curiosity was peaked.

Kid silently walked in. He could do almost anything without bringing attention or leaving a trace, and yet Professor Stein acknowledged his presence immediately. I suppose Salix didn't know that very specialized meisters can sense the souls of others. Stein sat his device down and turned his chair towards his students.

"Oh, hello. What can I do for you Kid?"

Kid smiled and gestured to the timid girl behind him. "I'd like to introduce you to Salix"

Stein gave a small smile as the light gave a glare in his glasses. "Ah yes, the new girl. Now, I saw your first name on the attendance list, but only your first name. May I ask why that is?"

"My parents abandoned me as a baby, sir. I never knew my last name."

Stein smile turned into a disappointed frown. "I see. That makes sense."

Stein didn't seem to want to continue the chat, but Salix pushed forward. "Where is everybody?", she asked him.

"It's lunch right now. They have to maintain their strength for their combat exam next period after all".

Did they really spend half the day just looking around? Well, it doesn't matter. Time to keep the conversation rolling!

"If I may ask, what is it you are working on?"

"Well, you may not ask Salix." One could smell the irritation in his voice. As if remembering his project, he turned back and continued to tinker. He gave off a vibe that seemed to say, "Don't bother me, I'm busy". Salix lowered her eyebrows in frustration. She didn't bother to push her luck in trying to talk with him, so she left with a final statement.

"It was nice meeting you Professor"

"Likewise."

Kid led his annoyed companion to the cafeteria.


	5. Chapter 5

"YOU AGAIN!?"

Salix and Black Star shouted at each other in unison. Kid had taken Salix to his usual rectangular table in the cafeteria. There sat a pink-haired person, Liz, Patty, Tsubaki, and, of course, Black Star. The three girls sat at the length of the table. Black Star sat at the head (because he insisted), and Kid went to take his seat at the other end.

"Haven't you had enough!? Or are you here to challenge me again, little girl?", Black Star roared.

"But _you_ challenged _me_." Salix cried incredulously.

Black Star scoffed and placed his elbow on the table, and with it he supported that superstar brain of his. He glared at her while wearing an assertive smile. "Please. You challenged me the second you stepped foot onto the grounds of _my_ school."

Salix crossed her arms across her chest and gave a displeased expression. "I don't really think this school belongs to anybody", she said. However, as she sat down, she thought for a moment. With her finger to her chin she pondered, "Actually, I suppose if this school has to belong to someone, it would probably be Kid. I mean, his dad _is_ the headmaster". She shrugged.

Kid was about to take a bite out of his pretzel bun, but stopped when he heard Salix's comment. "Please don't bring me into this", he said exasperated. Kid has always been in good favor with Salix. I suppose it goes without saying that when one is saved from the streets, they become grateful towards their savior.

Tsubaki partially raised her hands in an easing manner. "Can't we just get along?", she pleaded, being the peacemaker as usual.

"Yeah Black Star, leave her alone!", chirped Patty brightly.

Black Star glanced at each of his irritated friends, who were so quick to defend the new student, in confusion. He put his hands behind his head and kicked his feet up onto the table. "Agh, whatever. Welcome to the group new kid, I guess."

Salix gave a small smile. "Pleased to be here", she said joyously. "I think I've met all of you here. Liz, Kid, Patty, I know you of course. Black Star, I can't forget you". She mentioned Black Star with a giggle threatening to spill.

As she acknowledged each person they nodded. Black Star jabbed a thumb towards his own face, his nostrils flaring, and said, "Who could forget about ME?". Salix laughed awkwardly. She asked hesitantly, "And you are. . . Tsubaki, right?". The girl named Tsubaki nodded. She turned to the boy (girl?) sitting next to her and asked enthusiastically, "Whats your name?"

The person flinched. He was now leaning slightly away from Salix and hunched his back. I suppose she said it _too_ enthusiastically.

"C-C-Crona. It's. . .Crona", he said looking down.

Salix decided by the voice that he was most likely a boy, but she wouldn't decide for certain until she heard someone use a third-person pronoun. She smiled. She paused, and then said a bit more gently as she extended her arm and opened her palm, "Let's be friends Crona. My name is Salix". Crona smiled shyly, blushed and shook her hand. "Yeah!", he said. They sat there in a comfortable silence to initiate their friendship. Black Star was the first to break it.

"So Kid, what's with you and picking up homeless chicks?"

Salix had thoroughly enjoyed spectating the combat exam. Black Star couldn't seem to abstain from Ox's "Royal Thunder" and got his ass whooped. Serves him right. Miss Albarn was there again. Salix always treated her formally, as some of the other students did, yet Black Star, Kid, and their weapons acted as if they were old friends. They called her by her _first name_! Salix reminded herself to ask about that later.

For now though, she must focus on the task at hand, which was scanning the laminated code bars on the returned books. Yes, she was at her low-paying job as the librarian's assistant. Despite the minimum wage, she was content being around the things she worshipped most: books! The library she worked at was half as large as the school's (which was still actually big), and the cases were simple mahogony, not lined by gold like at the academy. The books were worn, the carpet was faded, but hey, at least they had a computerized records system (even the school didn't have that). This was not an ordinary public library. Each book was borrowed at the cost of a very low fee and books were sold as well, otherwise she wouldn't have been paid.

She was unable to resist scanning her eyes over the titles as well as on the labels. There were so many novels that she hadn't heard of, but the most popular seemed to be romances involving modernized horror creatures. Salix thought the idea seemed refreshing and peeked her interest, but this must have been the tenth book she scanned that was about a high school girl lusting over a sexy vampire. Perhaps the concept was too overdone for her to bother.

Once she was through, she placed them all in their respected spots, alphabetically and genre ordered (there was a whole aisle _just_ for supernatural love stories!). She organized other books that she found were out of place, and continued on to dust the bookshelves. She disinfected the check-out counter, and reported back to Magdelina, the Head Librarian.

"I'm done with the list you gave me". Salix smiled and politely handed her the petite checklist over to her boss.

"Finished already, Salix?"

"Yes ma'am!", Salix replied happily.

Magdelina looked at Salix with adoration. She has been beyond glad to have a young woman who reminds her so much of herself working in her library. The woman was frail and old, and yet she had a youthful demeanor. Her voice rang out like that of a young woman. Her green eyes were as vibrant as they were the day she was born. How she managed to look so good at her age, Salix wasn't sure.

"My, you certainly finished those chores quickly", Magdelina said with a swish of her steel grey hair. One could tell that her hair used to be an ebony color.

"Actually, it has been several hours since I got here."

"Boy, time sure does fly". Magdelina reached into the drawer underneath the counter and picked out an cream colored envelope. She handed it to Salix. "Here is your pay for today. 36 dollars."

Salix's face fell. Well, at least now she can afford to go the store and make herself a decent meal! But. . .she probably won't have much left when she's done. . .and she needs to save up at least 150 dollars for her utilities bill. And she still hasn't bought her own toiletries. . .

Magdelina saw the forlorn look on her employee's face. "What's wrong child?"

Salix's head snapped up. "O-Oh! It's nothing", she said through a forced smile. "I'm just concerned about my bills that's all".

"Bills? How old are you? Shouldn't your parents be paying the bills?"

"Well, I sorta, kinda, don't have any family whatsoever, soooo. . .yeah".

"I suppose I'm not surprised. . ."

"What? What was that?" Salix yelped, surprised at the remark.

Magdelina was brought from her distraught mood and assured Salix that she had said nothing. Salix wasn't so sure. She wanted to ask Magdelina to explain herself, but decided against it. She simply accepted her pay and returned to her home.

She browsed the Internet in the school's library during her lunch break one day for all sorts of music she could listen to. She'd use the computers at the local library, but that was strictly a work environment, not a leisurely one. Growing up on the streets kept her contact with music at a minimum. Salix wasn't picky when it came to the genre; discovering each one was an adventure for her ears and mind! But she found herself especially captivated by classical and jazz.

She was forced to take off her headphones, however, when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned her head towards a slouching man with spiky white hair to match his albino red eyes. He smiled, baring his spiky teeth.

"Hey. The name's Soul. Are you Salix?", he questioned casually.

"Yeah, that's me."

"Listen, you're new and are probably having a hard time adjusting. I'm sure things have been stressful lately. Am I right?"

"I-I suppose.", she said confused. Where was he going with this?

"Well, I've got an awesome idea for you to let loose and have some fun. Plus you'd really be helping me out."

Salix was very skeptical of this conversation. What did this person want with her? And why _her_ specifically? It could be because she's a fresh face awaiting to be befriended by a kind stranger, or it could be because she was new, and therefore a naïve girl who could be manipulated and fooled. Call her paranoid, but she decided to proceed with caution.

Soul continued. "Kid told me you played a little joke on him when you two first met. No hablo íngles, right?".

"Yeah, but- WAIT, you know Kid?", Salix gasped.

Soul rocked on his heels and straightened his posture. "Oh yeah, me and him go way back", he spoke proudly.

Salix supposed this guy could be trusted if he knew Kid, or he could be lying. She couldn't help but be suspicious. There was just something about him that scared her. It could be his appearance, or perhaps because his soul wavelength is the most powerful she had ever seen besides Lord Death's. She wasn't sure.

"Anyway", he drawled. He spoke, "I've got an idea for a prank to pull on my roommate. What do you say? Will you help me prank Maka?"

Maka? MISS ALBARN!? Pranking her was out of the question!

"No way! I'm not pulling a prank on my teacher!"

"Assistant teacher", he corrected. "And don't worry, she's cool. She'll forgive us". He added under his breath, "eventually".

Salix raised an eyebrow. "How do I know that you're really Miss Albarn's roommate, and not one of the students looking for trouble?".

"Haven't you noticed that Maka is way too young to be a teacher? She's an assistant teacher because she graduated from the academy early"

"Why did she graduate early?"

"Any meister who can turn their weapon into a death scythe automatically becomes of three-star rank and therefore has more than enough requirements to graduate. Of course defeating the Kishin at 14 doesn't hurt."

Salix wasn't going to believe this so easily. "So you're telling me", she said unconvinced, "That Miss Albarn not only made a death scythe, but also defeated a Kishin when she was only a teenager. I suppose next you're going to tell me you're her partner."

Soul smiled. "Technically, I'm Lord Death's weapon now."

Salix has had enough of this bullshit.


End file.
